Featured image – Lauren Crew and Amanda Maple Brown. Images by Stephen Godfrey.

“A man standing in his saddle in the half-lit half-alive dawn banged on the shutters and called two names…”

Tom Stoppard’s now classic absurdist, existentialist play asks the big questions about the meaning of life, death and existence. Why are we here? What is life for? What is reality? Is it all predestined or can we change things?!

Directed by Chris McKay, this is a striking, unusual production, excellently paced and powerfully nuanced with great attention as well to the philosophical and poetic elements of the play.

The intimate sparse staging on the small raised stage essentially accesses a large box- pirate chest?- to access props for the action.

Fragments of Shakespeare’s Hamlet are included so we see the court at Elsinore through Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s eyes.

At times. the action is witty and humorous, at others somber and thoughtful. Rhythm and repetition are important and in some ways it feels similar to Samuel Beckett’s work. What is also interesting is that in this rather subversive version almost all the male roles are played by women and vice versa which is yet another level on which we are asked to question everything.

The musical interludes are very effectively incorporated and the lighting by Matt Osbourne is tremendous.

The production is all performed in period Elizabethan costume. Claudius’ red costume is simply stunning.

Krystiann Dingas as Rosencrantz, with his very strong, expressive face, plays him as ‘blustery’, and a little dim and confused.

Emilia Stubbs Grigoriou as Guildenstern is portrayed as the ‘darker’, more intelligent of the duo.

Both players wore grey doublet and hose. Their verbal sparring was delightful.

Hamlet is marvellously played by beautiful Emily Burke, who wears a severe black and white dress. We see the hidden plotting and scheming,– he is not mad but feigning madness.

As Claudius, Sarah Plummer is tremendous; proud, regal and commanding, easily dealing with all the political wheeling and dealing going on in the court of Elsinore.

Leofric Kingsford-Smith portrays  Gertrude as a whimpering, simpering character, a tool in Claudius’ many manipulations.

Glamorous Amanda Maple-Brown as the Player revels in all the scenes in which she is in, giving a charismatic performance. The Player is one of Stoppard’s main vehicles for examining the philosophy of life and death and also the art of acting .

Ophelia was elegantly portrayed by handsome Logan McArthur.

Amy Victoria Books, garbed in a dark blue and white dress, appropriately portrayed Polonius as a stuffy, pompous character.

David McLaughlin as the victimised Alfred and a random soldier, and Lauren Crew as a musician and another Player both gave fine performances.

This was an intriguing, well considered production.

Running time allow 2 hours and 40 minutes including one interval.

Furies Theatre’s production of Tom Stoppard’s ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD is playing the Blood Moon Theatre at the World Bar, Potts Point until 21 May.

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